The village religiousness, temples

 The first and deepest lesson a village teaches. 

Gangamma

That my village taught me.

Is about the essential religiousness of this land, this soil, this air.

Not an abstract spirituality. But a religion that anoints each stone with kumkum and worships the divinity in it. With flowers and prayers.

That ties a thread around an anthill and begins worshipping it.

That ties a cloth around a neem tree and starts worshipping it.

Which anoints the feet of the cow with kumkum and turmeric and worships it.

Unless one also learns and lives this worship. Of the people, with the people.

Banthala Gangamma

... one never enters the soul of this land.

Our village temples ... in a small habitation of 50 households.
PaalaGuttaPalle(Dalitwada)

Katava Raja

Sibbalamma

Eashwaramma worshipping the cow

Yerpachchamma